On Sunday, Misercordia Domine 1864 the Evangelical-Lutheran Immanuel Congregation celebrated the 25th anniversary of Altenburg's founding. This event awakened in many of us the desire to leave behind a written memorial for our children so they might see what God the Almighty has done for us over the past 25 years. We not only wanted them to know the history of their forefathers but to awaken and foster in them strong faith in and obedience to our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was this faith and obedience which guided and fortified their fathers through much sorrow and temptation. We also wanted our children to know about the unfortunate church schism, which took place 7 years ago, not to perpetuate that rift or injure our opponents but through an accurate recounting of the facts to refute the reprimands laid on us from many sides that we had deviated from the pure and simple scriptural tenets of our evangelical-Lutheran faith and subsequently that the schism, which we regretted most deeply, was our fault. We pray to the prince of peace, Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the time when the children and sons of one and the same mother, our beloved church, will once again be united in truth and love in this region and that they will ever more firmly close their ranks in this antichristian age as the powers of corruption and apostasy grow stronger. Our congregation had decided to issue this pamphlet in their name. For this reason we communicated the nature of its content beforehand and obtained their approval. Thus we sign in the name of the congregation as its administration:                   G.A. Schieferdecker, Pastor.                   J.G. Palisch.                   Joh. Popp.                   Heinr. Grother.                   E.H.A. Palisch.